DON BABWIN, Associated Press | Tuesday, October 23, 2012

CHICAGO (AP) — When Chicago's gang war intensified last spring, shootings became so frequent, they sometimes seemed like a ghastly game of tennis, with each senseless attack followed by a vengeful response.

The furious rate of the killing drew national attention and even invited comparisons between Chicago and some of the world's war zones.

But a closer look shows something else: The pace of homicides and shootings slowed considerably as police stepped up their presence and residents challenged gang members for control of the streets. In at least one of the city's most notoriously dangerous neighborhoods, homicides have actually fallen.

Lisa Williams is a member of a South Side block-watch group where residents installed their own surveillance cameras. She says her neighbors are not going to stand for the violence anymore.